THE HILARIOUS HUSBAND (LEE BROTHERS #2)

Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

CUSTOMIZED

❥ ELISSE GARCIA ❥

"Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng ireregalo ko sa kaniya, kaya kwintas ang naisip ko," Hope continued, explaining after telling me that Queenie was his friend, someone he met through mutual connections. But I wasn't sure if I believed him. I mean, kung kaibigan niya lang 'yon, bakit kwintas ang kailangan niyang ibigay? Lalo na at lalaki siya at babae ang kaibigan niyang 'yon. It felt... off.

"Bakit nasa drawer pa? Why haven't you given it to her yet?" I asked, keeping my voice steady, though my arms were crossed tightly over my chest. Nasa garden pa rin kaming dalawa, at hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin ginagalaw ang ginawa niyang clubhouse sandwich.

"Nagdadalawang-isip ako. Feeling ko maling kwintas ang binili ko." He sighed, as if this was the most stressful problem he could have. "Puwede mo ba 'kong bigyan ng ibang idea?"

"Mug. Picture frame. Toothbrush. Suklay. Sabon. Bimpo," seryoso kong sagot, my voice calm but my brow arched ever so slightly.

Napatitig siya sa 'kin bago bahagyang natawa. "You're really going to make me look like an idiot, huh? Baka isipin pa ni Queenie para akong sinaunang grade six na makikipag-exchange gift sa Christmas party."

Ako naman ang bumuntonghininga at umirap, I could feel the tension building inside me. "Nagtanong ka sa 'kin at nag-suggest lang ako. Ngayon, kung ayaw mo ang idea ko, huwag mo na lang akong kausapin. Ask Ella instead. She probably has better ideas than I do."

"Actually, si Ella ang may idea ng kwintas."

What the f*cking hell? Hindi ko naiwasang mapatitig muli sa kaniya, trying to process what he just said. Ibig sabihin, bago niya ako tinanong, he had already gone to Ella? What the hell is going on here? Gano'n na ba sila ka-close na pati pangregalo niya ay si Ella ang hihingan niya ng suhestyon?

My chest tightened with a mix of anger and disbelief, pero hindi ko 'yon pinahalata. I forced myself to keep my movements steady, calm, like nothing was wrong. I could feel the tension simmering beneath the surface, but I maintained my usual cold expression—stoic, unreadable. I didn't want him to see that he'd gotten under my skin. Kung may isang bagay man akong natutunan, it's to never give away my emotions too easily, especially to him, dahil wala naman akong plano na dalhin pa sa kung saan ang relasyon namin. Ni wala nga akong plano na mag-stay sa kaniya bilang asawa niya. So, I kept my face neutral as if the mention of Ella and the necklace didn't bother me one bit.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow when I caught him staring at my lips, his eyes lingering there for a moment too long.

"Ano'ng brand at shade ng lipstick mo? Mukhang mas okay kung makeup na lang iregalo ko sa kaniya, tutal mahilig 'yon sa make—"

"This shade is phaseout," I cut him off sharply. "You won't find it anywhere."

"Ah. Gano'n ba?" Bahagya siyang napatango. "How 'bout your perfume? Mabango 'yong pabango mo, lagi kong hinahanap-hanap. Okay siguro 'yon ipangregalo."

I didn't respond, biting back the surge of irritation. Why the hell does he want to gift his girl something that's exactly like mine? Does he have no sense of boundaries? Hindi man lang ba niya naisip na asawa niya ako? And yet he's asking for advice on what to gift another woman? And worse, he wants to give her something similar to what I use? Unbelievable!

⫘⫘⫘

One week later.

"Hindi puwede sa lugar na 'to." Tinuro ni Hope ang kauna-unahang lugar sa listahang hawak niya. Nakatayo ako sa tabi niya habang nakaupo siya sa working chair niya at nakaharap sa desk.